the_adeptsfandomcom-20200216-history
Order of Fallen
"I am the master of my own Destiny." The Order of Fallen are not true Adepts at all, but instead are people whose soul has been imprinted with the essence of the Darkness itself. They are its special agents, and can mimic much of the nature and ways of the Adepts, but only in a debased and demonic way. Aspect of God: N/A. AKA: the Dark Order. Paradigm: Infernalism. Fallen Degrees Facts: -Fallen are the bad boys of the Orders of Adepts, foregoing ethics and morality in pursuit of their own ends. They are often ambivalent, at least they pretend to be towards others, especially those of genuine faith. -In battle, Fallen are ruthless and eerily cunning. They always seem to possess a sixth sense in figuring out an opponents weaknesses or how to manipulate the situation. -Fallen are immune to the dampening effects of Idols. -It's a myth that a Fallen cannot step foot inside a church or holy space. -Shockingly, not all Fallen are 'evil' in the traditional sense. Groups like the Jailers do not actively seek the ruin of the wider world, but instead, see themselves as parts of the natural order. They are dark creatures, to be sure, but they forego the Judeo-Christian concept of Evil. -If you use the Fallen, remember to do real justice to them. Try not to treat the Fallen as mere punchmeat villains to roll out whenever you need a fight scene. The real Fallen are cunning masters of darkness, always there on the fringe of one's vision, always lurking in the shadows offering temptations and promises of power to those who are weak enough to give in to them. If something can go wrong or someone can be turned, it should be assumed that the Fallen will find it. -Most Fallen will take up service to a particular Duke of Hell, or they will devote themselves to Lucifer specifically. -With the powers of Hell itself backing them, the Order of Fallen is a formidable element in the world of the Adepts. But remember, while the Fallen may be powerful, so is their opposition. Infernalism: Of all the paths of Magick, none is so feared and prohibited as is the practice of Infernalism. Fallen are often the masters of this dark practice and those outside the Order who draw close to the powers of Hell usually end up joining in time. Even those Fallen who lack any talent or interest in Magick will know at least a little of the ways of Infernalism. *Remember that those who traffic in the ways of Hell will inevitably begin to show signs of Blight. Fallen are just as prone to this as are any other kind of Infernalist. *Summoning demons is easier if one has knowledge of that demon's 'True Name.' Knowing a demon's True Name allows a Fallen to control it and direct its movements. Of course, finding a demon's True Name should be difficult since they will fiercely guard such knowledge, but there are means of discovering it. Other demons who know that Infernal may be willing to stab their brother in the back in return for taking out a rival. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Giving The Devil His Due: What motivates a Fallen? The stereotypical Fallen is just a bland 'Satanist' who commits acts of evil for evil's sake. And for your average storyline, that's all a secondary or tertiary villain really needs. However, to really get into the shoes of the Dark Ones, and to present them as complex characters of substance, you'll need to come up with a far more developed idea of what makes a Fallen tick. Most Fallen can be grouped into one of six principal categories in terms of what motivates them to be Fallen.... -Plain Evil = This Fallen is simply committed to Evil for Evil's sake. Usually they are the product of abusive homes, or just twisted individuals who get off on hurting others. Serial killers, rapists and abusers will fall into this category. -Failed Hero = These Fallen were once servants of the Light, but something happened to them and now they are fallen from grace. So hard was their fall, in fact, that they have completely renounced the Light and now serve the Darkness. These Fallen tend to be miserable creatures who care about nothing except base emotions like revenge and self-justification. -Wannabe Occultist = These Fallen are Posers who either took up Infernalism out of boredom or a misguided need to be 'cool.' They are often a dime a dozen and rarely become a serious threat, usually just serving to get underfoot for other more dedicated Fallen. -Dark Path of Independence = These Fallen live up to the idea of the 'dark hero' or 'Satanic liberator.' They see Lucifer as the Light-Bringer, come to teach them how to attain true independence apart from God and His stifling authority. The Godslayers epitomize this particular sect of Fallen. -Seekers of Knowledge = These tend to be the most scholastic and intelligent of the Fallen. They were men and women of truth and knowledge before their induction into the Dark Order who became convinced that only the Darkness could give them the answers they sought so hard for. These kind of Fallen tend to become Master Occultists. -God's Devils = These Fallen actively embrace Evil, but they do so because they honestly feel it is their God-given vocation in life. They see themselves as part of the natural order, acting as either jailers for the damned or tempters to put the so-called righteous to the test. If the world is to be a moral place, there must be a God. But doesn't that mean there must also be a Devil? Path of Redemption?: It is entirely appropriate in some stories for Fallen to seek redemption. The most obvious reason a Fallen might seek some kind of forgiveness or release would be because they have realized the error of their ways. Or maybe they have fallen in love with someone who is horrified at their nature and wish to change... there are all sorts of reasons a person can find to role-play as a repentant Fallen. Be wary of making this too easy. Becoming a Fallen is a serious thing, and shirking any connection to the Darkness itself will be the fight of a person's life. There is a third option that should be noted. Some Fallen see themselves not as enemies of God but as part of His natural order. The Jailers are a great example of this kind of Fallen who see themselves as the keepers of those souls too evil to be allowed freedom. Criminal Underworld: For most of the world, Fallen do not need to have a relationship with the leaders of the criminal underworld. Sadly, for most of the world, the two groups are one and the same. A clear bloc of the Dark Order comes from the criminal element of society, both the stereotypical mafia groups as well as younger, newer forms of criminal behavior such as the drug cartels and cybercriminals. Chances are, local Fallen will either know some important people among criminals in the area, or they will be those important people. This is especially the case with Crime Lords. Mark of Cain The Dark Hero: Fallen will often be the 'Dark Hero' in any story in which they are the protagonist. They are worldly and know how things are really run, they will find it difficult to work with other Adepts who are optimistic or idealistic (ie, the Innocents). Fallen are much like Marauders except they recognize that they have a problem - they just don't know what to do about it. Or maybe they do and they just don't care anymore? If a player does decide to create a Fallen character then they should have a good story for them. For the sake of the story it should be something pretty personal and serious. In fact, a good Storyteller would encourage their players to create Fallen based on their own spiritual struggles. Use role-play to work out their own spiritual hangups, it could make for good storytelling and be therapeutic at the same time. Tempted By The Devil: Members of the Order of Fallen will frequently be the targets of Avatars of the Devil. These demonic figures will appear to Fallen at various times, giving them commands or granting them further demonic powers. The Fallen are often cited as the Children of the Devil, and Lucifer seems to agree. Whenever an Avatar of the Devil appears, they will look favorably upon any Fallen. They will also see that Fallen as their tool, so this kind of attention is usually a double-edged sword. Posers & True Believers: It's an old stereotype that there are two kinds of Satanists - those who genuinely believe in the image or idea of Satan, and those who just want to play Occultist. This divide is often played out in real life among the Fallen, with many of the more dedicated, scholarly Fallen (who take Infernalism seriously) at odds with those who were inducted from less than 'genuine' satanic stock. This latter group is often composed of titular adolescent satanic groups, heavy metal wannabes, goths and other societal miscreants who simply dabbled in the dark arts for the fun of it and ended up finding something very real waiting there for them. Stories of 'satanic orgies' and strange meetings in the woods (or the residences of the rich) are usually based on this latter group as well. Most so-called 'Satanists' are really posers or people who don't really believe in what they are doing. However, for those out there who walk the Dark Path of Independence and take it seriously, they are truly formidable individuals. Problem With Authority: The Order of Fallen are not to be underestimated. They command vast magickal power, they can summon Infernal allies, they have access to dark knowledge, and their ruthlessness and cunning serves them well in times of conflict. But for all that, the Fallen are not without their own internal problems. One problem in particular which hampers the Order is the high 'turnover' rate among the Fallen's leadership. The Fallen suffer from a distressing reputation of treachery and rebellion, one which often means that leaders among the Fallen must live in constant fear of being violently ousted by upstart rivals. It also means that resources are squandered as treacherous conspirators intentionally sabotage their opponent in a bid for power. Also, enemies of the Fallen are acutely aware of this internal flaw and have taken full advantage of it. One famed strategy is to identify an older Fallen who has outlived his usefulness and then keep him propped up. By protecting him from younger rivals, the ensuing civil war among the Fallen weakens the Order as a whole. Certain groups within the Order have managed to hold this in check, such as the more scholarly groups, but it is a serious problem for most of the Fallen. Fallen leaders who show any weakness or who lose favor among their fellows can expect to be forcibly removed within due time. God & The Devil: The Order of Infinity and the Order of Fallen possess a truly bizarre relationship between them. They are always enemies, to be sure, but this adversarial relationship shifts in severity depending on the Adepts in question. In some circumstances, the Fallen are not the military opposition to the Theists so much as their existential counter-balance. A few Theists and Fallen have even entered into something which can be thought of as intellectual rivalry. In some Chapters, the Fallen see it as their duty to question the Theists (or any other authority figures) and keep them on their toes in terms of their own conduct and action. Even the slightest hint of weakness or tyrannical behavior will inflame the Fallen's passions and bring them to bear on those who have overstepped their bounds. Referenced: -http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0142688/ -https://www.youtube.com/user/Styxhexenhammer666 -https://www.deliriumsrealm.com/demons/ -http://disinfo.com -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=838NRB_JGdM -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pterL8giQk4[[Category:Infernal]]